The Black Death
by a-halfblood-with-attitude
Summary: When the plague comes to the village of Justice, who will survive? No powers AU set in 1348. Lots of deaths.


The Black Death

It was the summer of 1348 in a village called Justice.

The sun blazed down against the wheat fields. Men chopped at the wheat collecting food for the Bishop.

Bartholomew picked up his scythe and walked back to the village, down the dusty path. He walked through the village and past the apothecary's house.

Many people were whispering to each other but Barry walked on towards his hut where steam billowed out through the hole in the roof. The fire was burning. The dinners smell was floating towards him.

Normally his nephew would run out to greet him but today an eerie silence followed his path home.

When he walked in he noticed his nephew, Wallace, lying on a bed of straw. His heart thumped up and down as he lay unconscious – sleeping.

"What's with Wally?" asked Barry, "he usually hates going to bed before the sun has set!"

"I don't know what's wrong with him! He just went over there, laid down and went to sleep although when I last looked at him his normally bright and cheerful face was pale and glum," replied Barry's wife Iris.

Barry walked over to his nephew and felt his head. It was really hot! He then spotted something on Wally's neck.

The young man pulled up Wally's top to reveal big swellings (or buboes) decorating his neck and armpits.

"We should see if the nearby apothecary knows any cures for these swellings before it's too late!" reasoned Barry.

 _1 DAY LATER_

The apothecary stood over Wally as he'd just passed out again.

Before passing out Wally had coughed up a cup full of blood.

"Is there anything you can do to help him?" Iris asked.

"I've heard of a new method that is being used to treat the newly spreading plague," said the apothecary, Bart, to Iris and Barry both of whom were worried sick for their nephew. His parents had died when the village was attacked by Jonah Hex and his gang. That year Justice had a small spread of food. Barry and Iris were Wally's last family and they had been there for him at his lows and highs. They would be there for him when he beat the plague. He had to survive, Barry thought. He had to!

Bart pulled out a box full of live frogs and took one out. He placed it against Wally's neck where a buboe lay. The frog swelled up and burst covering his body with frog guts.

"I will continue this until they stop bursting," Bart explained.

Five minutes later Wally woke up and threw up blood all over them. It was not looking good for the young boy.

 _ANOTHER DAY LATER_

Wally was still incredibly ill and now dark blotches seemed to cover his body. Bart's work did nothing to help him and Barry didn't want to lose his nephew. He'd rather Wally was fighting till his death than nothing at all.

"What's happening to me, Uncle Barry?" asked the young boy.

"You're just ill but as long as you fight you'll survive," said Barry.

 _1 DAY FURTHER ON_

Wally was shaking uncontrollably and not being able to stay awake for long. His chances of survival looked slim but if what Barry had said before was true then – believe in the impossible – and he might survive. A miracle could be lurking behind a door waiting for him to let it in.

Barry's friend Zattana had taught him to believe miracles and he believed Wally could come out alive. Wally was one of the strongest people he knew, apart from Clark who is incredibly physically strong.

 _24 HOURS LATER_

Iris sat on a stool her head in her hands tears streaming down her face.

The one other person she loved as much as Barry was now dead lying limp on a bed straw. It had just been announced he was dead and they were soon to bury him.

Since Wally's death other villagers had been diagnosed with the plague and numbers were dropping all around.

Iris couldn't face losing Barry. He was the light of her world and the thing she cared about the most.

The frail body of Wally was carried out to a grave. A small hole had been dug and Barry placed his nephew inside brushing his ginger hair against a stone as he did so. Soil covered him over the top and above his head a stone was placed with words engraved about how wonderful Wally was.

If Wally is dead, Barry thought, then all hope is lost.

 _VILLAGE HALL THE NEXT DAY_

"What is the reason for this plague?" asked the speaker to everyone gathered in the village hall.

A man named Kaldur stood up to speak,"I think the reason for this outbreak is that the evil planets of Mars and Saturn have moved closer together and this has turned the air bad. If we breathe in the air we will catch the plague," he concluded.

"Or," said Conner, "the plague is passing from person to person and the plague sores give of unearthly smells. If you breathe it in you catch the plague!"

There was a big oh and many murmurings throughout the crowd. Everyone was scared for the oncoming disease and no one wanted to die.

Words had spread and everyone had heard of the death of Wally and many others.

M'gann stood and walked into the middle of everyone as the murmuring quietened to a whisper and then silence.

"I think… God has sent the plague to punish us for all the bad things we've done like gambling, fighting and drinking," she paused for a dramatic effect, "to stop ourselves from getting the plague – we should go on pilgrimages to the holy places to pray to God and ask him to forgive us for our sins."

Just as she finished Barry stood up to object.

"Why would God punish a child?" he asked M'gann, "Wally is _dead_ and he didn't do anything wrong. He was only a child!" Barry complained to her, his voice cracking.

A tear dropped from M'ganns eye sparkling on the floor.

"Maybe I'm wrong, but we are just trying to give a reason to everything bad that is happening. Don't you want an answer Bartholomew?"

He skin shined green reflecting from the grass outside of the hall.

Of course Barry wanted an answer. They all did, but first of all they had to survive the plague that was killing thousands.

 _AFTER THE PLAGUE_

Barry walked across the dusty path around the deserted village. Many people had left to get a better life but Barry and Iris couldn't leave. Wally was buried here and they wouldn't go too far away from him.

There were only ten people left in the abandoned village and that was because many had left and half the population had died.

Iris met Barry as they walked into a gathering outside in a field.

Some of the first people to come to this village had survived and they were now all friends mourning over losses together.

The people gathered in a rough circle consisted of Barry, Iris, Kaldur, Zattana, M'gann, Conner, Clark, Robin, Artemis and Bart. All had lost something important. Barry and Iris had lost Wally. Kaldur had lost his king-like father and Zattana also had lost her father. M'gann had lost her Uncle and Conner all hope. Clark had lost his wife. Robin and Artemis were the two youngest, Artemis being a tomboy. Both had been the best of friends with Wally and he had left them. Artemis had also lost her older sister. Bart had watched the world around him die. Most of the rest of their families had fled but these ten had stayed, loyal to the village Justice.

M'ganns uncle had been the Bishop and when he died she inherited all of his money and land. Being the kind woman she was she'd stayed loyal to the village with her friends and also shared the money among the group.

They'd decided on days for looking after the fields and crops to share the responsibilities.

Everyone was becoming more cheerful throughout the group but it just wouldn't be the same without Wally for he lit up everywhere he went.

The events that had happened ended labour services. Now no one was being bossed around but instead they were doing their fair share of work to keep the village organised. They would live a peaceful life together as one big happy family.

Whether they thought the Black Death was a good or bad thing, the lists were endless.

Many people thought it was good because afterwards prices went down but pay went up. Leaders had to pay more for labourers and peasants were becoming free.

People who had lost friends and family believed the plague was bad. It poisoned people's hearts and had no mercy for the young.

Whatever you believed the result was the same – thousands of lives ended – so many people dead.

* * *

Authors Note – So what do you think? This was the story I wrote for my history assessment that I managed to add young justice characters in. I even got a 7A! Its set in 1348 and as you may have noticed sadly the characters don't have superpowers – Artemis and Robin never did though. I think all the historical facts are right and the plague actually did all these things. This is sort of me still being sad about Wally dying in the season 2 finale as he (SPOILER ALERT) does die, kind of. Maybe he goes into the speed force? I appreciate reviews and would like to know your opinions.

~superheros17


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